# In 1996, Nicole Kidman worked with “one of the greatest actors”. He slapped her in the face 100 times

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1996-nicole-kidman-worked-with-one-of-the-greatest-actors-he-slapped-her-in-the-face-100-times/
- Published: 2026-10-26T20:45:33+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-26T21:26:20+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/in-1996-nicole-kidman-worked-with-one-of-the-greatest-actors-he-slapped-her-in-the-face-100-times/
- Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment

## Key points

- Malkovich reportedly slapped Kidman with a glove about 100 times.
- The scene was filmed for the 1996 adaptation of *The Portrait of a Lady*.
- Kidman later endured a roughly 400-day shoot for *Eyes Wide Shut*.

## Summary

Nicole Kidman has recalled that John Malkovich struck her with a gloved hand around 100 times while they filmed a scene for *The Portrait of a Lady*. The account illustrates the physical demands of pursuing realism on set and offers a glimpse of the intense experiences early in Kidman’s career.

The pair made the 1996 adaptation of Henry James’s novel, with Kidman playing Isabel Archer and Malkovich her husband, Gilbert Osmond. Kidman also described Malkovich standing on her hem to trip her during filming. The article connects that demanding shoot with her later work on *Eyes Wide Shut*, which was filmed over roughly 400 days.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.